Or are we are hostages of the media, the politicians, organized crime, and the entrenched elite class that call all the shots. We do not have small issues to deal with. Very serious social-economic-political problems are not being effectively addressed. Sure there are programs, campaigns, and platforms, but they are as helpful as slapping a Band-Aid over a hemorrhage… they lack planning, they lack follow-up.

The media has become as polarized as the politicians… Uh, in fact, it’s hard to tell the difference between the media and the politicians. People say they support the PAN or the PRI; a few are members of the other parties. But once aligned, there is no listening to the others – no back and forth.

Getting half of a story is often worse than getting none of it. Because we tend to read one newspaper, and interact with primarily one group of people, we don’t get the full scoop, as it were.

For the international community in Mérida and other Mexican cities, the difficulty of getting information is compounded because language is often an issue. Without Spanish, many extranjeros must depend on interpretations of the (already hazy) facts.

The common people of Mexico are afraid to stand up, because the reprisals are too terrifying. The powers that be, protected by wealth and position reign supreme, and they perpetuate (narco wars, cronyism, corruption and impunity) the chaos that we cringe from.

In Yucatan, we are fortunate that many of the ills affecting much of the country are not our daily reality. People from other parts of Mexico (not just from abroad) are moving here in droves. Does the heavy security and police presence protect the peace? Is our state’s geography a lucky coincidence? We feel grateful for whatever it is that keeps us safe, but don’t the residents of other parts of the country deserve the same quality of life that’s available here?

What will it take to move Mexico forward? If change can’t come from the bottom, (as it mostly did 201 years ago)… where will it come from?

It could come from an external power, but that’s difficult because the countries that could press for change have too many of their own problems. They don’t have the resources to help Mexico.

That leaves only one option: change from the top. Mexico desperately needs a leader, one who cares and who is not afraid. .. one who is fully informed, and not dependent on his “advisors.” We need someone who can think, then act! 2012 is an electoral year. Let’s hope that whoever the next president is, he will be different. We need a knight in shining armor… Hope springs eternal!

Even if we cannot be “political”, we need to be informed and realize what’s going on. We need to be good to our neighbors and support our community in any way we can. Although Mexico has many problems, what country doesn’t?

It is Fiestas Patrias. What we should celebrate is the incredible potential of this country…

¡Viva México!

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6 responses to “Independent?”

I always enjoy reading your posts and today’s was another timely topic. We can only hope that someone with courage and savvy who espouses the aspirations of the greater populace of the Mexican people will come forth to lead Mexico into a prosperous economic nation in which equality and justice for all will become a reality and not remain a dream….

Does Mr. Byrne watch the television news? Televisa is hardly “fair and balanced”, especially when it comes to Enrique Peña Nieto (who openly acknowledges substantial financial involvement with the network). Not that there´s anything inherently wrong with a biased press (Canadian and U.S. media are obviously biased towards corporate interests… which one would expect, those media owners being corporations), but should be acknowledged.

I must strongly disagree with your statement that “The media has become as polarized as the politicians… in fact, it’s hard to tell the difference between the media and the politicians.” That may be true if one confines his/her reading to only local media sources, which indeed are often highly partisan and polarized. But in this electronic age, no one has a legitimate excuse for remaining uninformed. The “truth is out there,” and often just a click away if one will only spend a little time tracking it down. There are plenty of writers and organizations who/which do their very best every day to disseminate it and expose it to the full light of day, regardless of where the chips may fall. Not all of us are in someone else’s pocket.
Lic. Edward V. Byrne, The Yucatan Times.comhttp://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your reply. I agree that the truth is out there but in our state, we are so bombarded by the local press, it has become “the source”. I have read your articles in the Yucatan Times and find most of what you say to be balanced. But the statistic you quoted in your last piece about Calderon having a 68% approval rating. Boy! Where did the polster find those people? Anyway, you are a good writer, I’d enjoy meeting you.

Magic Made in Mexico

More and more internationals are setting up permanent residence in Mexico. The adventure is full of excitement but also has its challenges. I wrote "Magic Made in Mexico" based on my experiences and cultural adaptation to living here. By clicking on the image, you will be directed to my editor's website. The book can be ordered directly from "Editorial Mazatlan" and also through Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Joanna van der Gracht de Rosado

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